Those who love and breathe fashion with visions of beautiful clothes will devour this book.

Three women – Blythe, her mother, Astrid, and grandmother, Mizza, are connected through their dedication of creating new styles to make women feel comfortable and powerful. They all like to shake things up a bit with eye-catching garments which are destined to set new trends.

However, there are constant battles that they have to overcome. The book touches on the struggles that these women had in an almost all-male field. There was a hefty price they paid by being in the spotlight and constantly chased by the press. Also, there are all kinds of challenges with their relationships between the mother/daughter and the men they loved.

The author includes some key historical accounts from the time. Mizza lived during WWII when she was terrorized by the Nazis. The story gives the reader a good sense of the agonizing battles she faced being a single woman in the fashion field. In the 60s, Astrid watched crowds of people protesting against the war in Vietnam and was part of the movement to change the conservative styles. In modern times, Blythe was searching for her mother who disappeared years ago. She also questioned where she fit into the world with the latest designs.

I was amazed at the amount of research it took to prepare for this book. Natasha Lester’s knowledge of fashion is astonishing. Yet, I think it could have been somewhat shortened with less substance – almost like watching a three-hour movie. My mind was drifting in a few places.

The book does a good job capturing the imagination of all kinds of styles -- in words rather than pictures. The characters are well described. I didn’t mind the change in chapters which followed the three women. The suspense of Astrid’s disappearance made me curious. It’s a good book for discussions with pertinent issues.

My thanks to Forever and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of January 30, 2024.

Can a woman be more than a muse for a man in the fashion industry? If you are interested in knowing about the struggles of women to be recognized as fashion designers for the past nearly 100 years, then please read this book. Three talented women who are related (grandmother, mother, daughter), yet don’t know each other for the majority of their lives strive to become fashion designers. There is much to learn in this absorbing novel with real people interspersed with the fictional. The author’s notes at the end are illuminating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for Allowing me to read this book. This book is another best seller.. A family of Women who want to make it into the fashion world that is dominated by men and are determined to be successful. A page turner. This book kept my interest until the end.

Three generations of women, struggling to make it as women in the fashion world. Mizza, Astrid and Blythe all are passionate about designing clothing, wanting to make a name for themselves in a world dominated by men, and struggling to balance life, love and family.

This author is fast becoming a fav . She has a way of immersing us in a time period along with creating characters we love and had a gift for evoking a setting we can immerse ourselves in . In this book we are immersed in the NYC fashion world and the House of Dior .it was an excellent immersive read
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is the new exciting historical fiction novel by Natasha Lester. American designer Astrid Bricard is a young designer changing the fashion landscape. She and fellow designer Hawk Jones dominate Vogue magazine and New York City's disco scene. Yet she can't escape the shadow of her mother, Mizza Bricard, infamous "muse" for Christian Dior. Astrid would give anything to take her place among the great houses of couture--on her own terms. But then Astrid disappears. In the present day, Astrid's daughter, Blythe, holds w her mother and grandmother's legacies. The only question that no one has been able to answer is, "What really happened to Astrid?"

Lester does a wonderful job creating another thrilling and empowering story. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard had me turning the pages to the very end. The descriptions of the Dior gowns were enchanting and I could easily envision them. The book is an easy 5 stars. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction. mystery, and fashion. I received a free advanced copy and all opinions are my own. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This was my first Natasha Lester book and I deeply enjoyed it. It reminded me of The View Was Exhausting (which I adored) and the women gave me TJR vibes (a compliment in the highest degree). Historical fiction isn't my go to genre, so I can't compare it much in the way of popular historical fiction titles, but I really loved the journey with these characters and all of the societal references throughout. If you're a fashion lover, I think this will be especially fun, as there are many references to the major fashion houses throughout, and those alongside the dated historical commentary was super interesting. Easily a 4.5 star read for me!

Welcome to the 1970s, fashion, disco, music, and each rising designer, trying to make them work on the world
All of them seem to want Astrid to see which one of the designer she’s wearing next, and she seems to have disappeared

I enjoyed this book, I enjoyed the time. And I enjoyed the little bit of mystery to it.

After listening to Daisy Jones again I needed something to fill the void and this was PERFECT! This was perfect from start to finish and it is for people that are looking to get their fix after Daisy Jones

An interesting take on the fashion industry by three different generations. The writing and research may have been done well but I did not care for any of the characters which lacked depth for myself reading the story.

This is exquisitely written historical fiction by Natasha Lester and I loved every bit of it. The novel follows three generations of women in the Bricard family, Mizza, Astrid and Blythe, as they navigate the fashion industry and life in general. Mizza was a real person who was known as Dior’s muse during the backdrop of the war. Mizza’s fictional daughter Astrid and lover Hawke (also a designer) represent the world of fashion and misogyny of the 70s. Blythe is Astrid’s daughter in the present, trying to find her way not knowing what happened to Astrid. Gender inequality is portrayed as rampant, with women trying to find their voice and power. We also meet many fashion icons: Dior, Halston, Blass and others. Lester weaves an intricate and intriguing story, well structured, with the mystery of what happened to Astrid. I was absorbed by the details, the personalities, the relationships and the dresses. This research was detailed and well documented. I highly recommend The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard. With thanks to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC. My opinions are my own. susanh_bookreviews, Goodreads

I am a big fan of Lester’s last few books, and this one was no exception. The three stories intersect in beautiful ways, and the plot is so intriguing.

Another winner from Natasha Lester! While my favorite of hers will always be The Paris Seamstress (because Alex and Estelle are my OTP!), this book comes in close to the top. Lester's ability to mix fact and fiction and shine a light on important historical women (like Rose Valland and Catherine Dior in previous books and Mizza Bricard in this book) who have been shoved into the dusty forgotten corners of history is unparalleled. As in her previous works, there are interconnected stories that take place in different timelines (3 in this case). In a big departure from her previous work, the main action of this story actually takes place in the 1970s in New York. This change was very refreshing.

There were numerous times when I had to put this book down and walk away because it was too hard to read. It took my breath away how little has changed from the 1940s and the 1970s in how women are treated as people, as mothers, and entrepreneurs. In this book, this all happens in the world of fashion, but the way women are treated and portrayed in the media isn't limited to one industry and it's not limited to only famous women.

The ending of this book was also very satisfying and a departure, I feel, from Lester's previous books (in a good way!).

I received an eARC of this book from Net Galley.

This is a really good historical fiction book by Natasha Lester

Inspired by Mizza Bricard, this is a fictional story about 3 generations of Bricard women in the fashion industry. Mizza, known as Dior's muse, Astrid - (fictional) daughter who has to fight for her place in the fashion industry in the 1970s, and Blythe Bricard, Astrid's daughter who had given up on a life in fashion but is drawn back in, trying to find out what happened to Astrid Bricard.

While most of the story itself is made up, I greatly appreciate the research and historical setting of this story. It is a glimse into what women have had to deal with, even to this day, to succeed, especially those in the public eye.

I highly recommend this book, although I would recommend reading The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre by this author first. While the stories are not directly connected, Alix plays a big part in this story and it makes more sense when you know Alix's story.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and really glad that I was able to read it.

I finished this novel to be able to give feedback. The novel is about three generations of women in the fashion industry, that is dominated by men. I couldn’t identify with any of the characters, Both Mizza and Astrid abandoned their daughters without any justifiable reason. I found the book boring and was glad when I finished finally.
I received a complimentary copy, opinions are my own.

is story about the fashion industry is told through three generations of Bricard women...the grandmother, the mother and the daughter. In an industry ruled by men, it was the women who set the fashion industry ablaze. The sacrifices they made, the men who "pawed" them, the muses they became and all at a cost. Never equal to the men in that industry, we follow them, we hear them and read their story. At a time in the 70's when women were told to "burn their bras" these women became legends. But what happened to Astrid, why did she disappear, was she ever found? Another excellent book by Natasha Lester, one not to be missed. Ms. Lester never disappoints and I'm always read to whatever she writes next. My thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC and for this compelling read.

There is a quote from the film, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” When riding this book, I kept coming back to that quote. Three generations of women who were being held of the legend of the past and were not allowed to shine in their own right. The fashions, the talent and the legend weaved the story beautifully. This book was such a joy to read. I can't recommend it enough.

3 generations of Bricard women take the fashion world by storm.
While I enjoyed parts of this book, I found others moved incredibly slow and left a lot to be imagined by the reader.
This is a great read if you enjoy the fashion industry and/ or historical fiction.

Thank you to @netgalley and @ForeverGrandPublishing for this ARC. Three generations of clothing designers trying to make it in a man's world. Due to false news and no one believing these women could be talented and successful in their own right, it was reported that Mizza and her daughter Astrid were only muse's for the top designer in their world, never designing anything themselves. Blythe, third generation is trying to get to the bottom and fix their reputation but resurrecting the fashion line. If you love fashion, you will love this book! #TheDisappearanceofAstridBrichard #NatashaLester #Jan2024 #ForeverGrandCenterPublishing

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a multigenerational tale of three women that plays on our idea of perception vs reality. We learn the true story of each of these women vs how the media has portrayed them while looking at their relationships to their lovers and to each other.
This book made me feel so many things. The story is powerful and the writing is beautiful. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fashion, strong women, or a good story in general.